COLUMBIA CITY — The Homestead Spartans used a balanced offense to offset the Columbia City defense in Saturday morning’s Junior varsity football game. Homestead gathered 224 rushing yards and 225 yards through the air to defeat the Eagles 40-12.

Both the Eagles and Spartans battled through a scoreless tie in the first quarter, but the score board lit up numerous times in the second period when the Spartan’s broke out to a 27-12 advantage at intermission.

Jeffery Watson, who led the Spartans in rushing with 73 yards, cracked the end zone for their first score with 8:16 remaining in the second quarter. Following the Spartan score, Columbia City coughed the ball up near midfield after just three offensive plays. The Spartans needed a three-play drive, capped off with a 42 yard strike from quarterback Tommy Roskuski to Conner Firzharris who darted 42 yards to pay dirt and a 13-0 Spartan lead.

To add insult to injury, on the ensuing kickoff Columbia City’s return man Carson Reed attempted to lateral the ball only to have it picked off by Spartan Noah Meeks who made his way to the end zone untouched and giving the visitors from Allen County three scores in 2 ½ minutes and holding a 19-0 lead.

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